Falling Skies
by Queens of Hell
Summary: Skylar Jefferson left law enforcement years ago. So what has her walking down FBI hallways after all this time?
1. Chapter 1

The phone was ringing.

The chicken dance ringtone had been on a loop for just about an hour now, and I was reaching the very end of my very last nerve. I was close to pulling all of my hair out over the stupid song, and the stupid contact it went with.

Finally, i could take no more. I stalked out of my loft and down towards the kitchen, where the phone was hiding next to my beloved coffee maker.

"Richard Castle what in the bloody fucking universe do you want." I hiss.

"Nice of you to pick up, little sister." Richard chirps, as if he hadn't just stretched my nerves to immeasurable distances.

"What do you want, brother?" I snap

"Only the same thing I call you about every thursday." He responds.

I roll my eyes. "Then today is your lucky day."

I hear him cheer, then curse. He probably smashed into something during his victory dance.

"Seriously though." He comes back. "You're coming?"

I sigh. "I have to go down to DC for a thing next week anyway. Might as well hang out in New York for the weekend."

Castle cheers again. Someone says something, and I hear him cover the phone.

"Guess who's leaving New Hampshire!" He whispers, and I hear someone else cheering.

Must be Alexis.

"When will you be arriving?" Castle asks.

"Um...," I consult the ever-growing pile of sticky notes on my fridge. "Around 11 o'clock tomorrow."

"We'll have the guest room ready."

I grin.

New York, are you ready to handle an another (honorary) Castle?


	2. Chapter 2

The flight down to JFK airport was short, two hours at most. Soon enough, my cab was weaving through NY traffic towards the Castle residence.

I rapped on the door, hearing the bustling of pots and pans stop as someone came to let me in.

"Skylar!" Rick Castle envelopes me in a massive hug, and I squeak, only slightly prepared form his bone-crushing hugs.

"You can let go now, Ricky." I gasp, awkwardly patting his back.

He smiles, and lets me go, picking up my dropped suitcase.

"Come in, come in." He ushers me inside, and I come face-to-face with Alexis and Martha.

I get two more Castle Death-Hugs before I'm finally allowed to collapse at the bar, a pretty brunette sitting there already.

I rest my head on the counter, my face turned towards her. "You gotta name of a doctah? I think mah ribs ah brok'n." I wheeze.

The woman laughs. "Don't worry. Castle's almost broken my ribs with that hug too."

Then man himself appears behind the bar.

"Skylar Jefferson, this is Detecive Kate Beckett of the NYPD." He introduces. "Beckett, this is my honorary sister, Skylar."

The woman smiles. "Nice to meet you."

"As well, Nikki Heat." I wink.

Beckett sighs.

"Hey don't sweat it. I'm Clara Michaels if it makes any difference." I shrug, accepting the glass of wine Castle had slid in front of me.

I take a sip, and beam. "The one from New Zealand?"

He nods.

"So what do you do, anyway?" Castle asks.

"Me?" I ask dumbly.

"No. Beckett." He gives me the what-do-you-fucking-think look. "Yes you."

I try to melt into my glass. It didn't work to well.

"I write now." I grumble. "And I science."

"You... Science?" Beckett asks, confused.

"Skylar is the last in a long line of incredible scientists." Castle boasts in my place.

"Incredible being a loosely used term, Detective." I roll my eyes. "I used to be a consultant for the DCPD."

"Please, it's just Beckett." The woman smiles.

"Ah, sorry." I say, finishing the rest of my wine and holding it out to Rick for some more.

Instead, he takes the empty goblet and hands me a glass of scotch. I blow him a kiss.

"Already moving past the wine?" Alexis asks her dad. He just shrugs.

"Every time we meet up, which, granted, is not often, he tries to get me drunk. Says thats when I tell the good stories." I explain to Beckett.

She gives her partner a condescending look.

'Its true' He mouths back.

I roll my eyes. I clamber off the stool, and settle into the corner of the couch. I tip back a hearty gulp of scotch, and lace my fingers around the glass.

Castle recognizes my pre-storytelling behavior, and gestures to Kate to take a seat as he joins me on the couch with the scotch.

"It was a couple of years ago." I start, looking around the couch. "I had just finished a project when..."


End file.
